The Outcast – Episode 12

THE OUTCAST – Episode 12.

Written by Amah

The following morning, I was suppose to be on my way home, but I became reluctant to go, I started seeing the outcast different from my previous perception on them, I slowed down in my haste to rush back home,

My stomach tightened, it was filled up with worries, Riko was right about the outcast, he saw them as unfortunate fellows, who fell a victim to peoples selfish desires,

Zila and Riko saw them as normal people even when I had huge doubt about them,

Riko was afraid to speak up because he was an ordinary person, but he trusted me enough to talk to me, encouraging me to go to the outcast,

now i can see that my whole childhood was messed up with the untrue stories of the outcast, even father has instilled a great fear in us, he has made us to believe that the outcast are very deadly set of people, who doesn’t look or sound like a normal humans, i had terrifying dreams about them, just because I filled my mind with the fear of them, I dreaded them so much, and we dare not talk about them, or we maybe tagged as them,

but the first person I saw in the outcast was the strange girl, she neither have ferns or blood shot eye or horns, or vampire long teeth, she was plane, beautiful to behold, she maybe unable to speak because i have not seeing or hard her speak but I know she has a beautiful heart, it doesn’t really matter if she can speak or not, and the first voice that spoke to me was strong kind voice..

When Zila brought food to me that morning, I told her I wasn’t hungry, she asked what the problem is I told her I was fine I just wanted to take a tour to the water fall, I will be back, she nodded.

I quietly, walked down the path leading to the water fall, I needed to be alone and think, and I wanted to be sure I wasn’t going crazy, I wondered how to face father with the reality of my discovery, the fear of being disowned, will father disown me and Chase me out if I speak kindly about the outcast, I’m the first son of my Pah, I suppose to live by example, so that my brothers could follow, father will feel like I’m misleading them if I talk about the outcast, why I’m I so scared, unlike Zila, she was never afraid of anything, she is even ready to be an outcast, but fear build in like a hard rock inside me, all I want is to make father proud, not to bring shame and disgrace to the family, being a first Born comes with a whole lot of responsibilities, I must live up to the expectation, father expected me to be married soon and raise a family because I have come of age, I needed to start working towards that, but I’m caught in the web of confusion, my broth…

Kraaaakaaa…came the noise from the bush path, halting me from me deep thought, I looked but didn’t see anybody, all the outcast has gone into hiding as usual after they saw me, I looked again but nobody was in view, I shouted “who is there, but got no response,

then suddenly I heard a female voice, which was a shock to me, i wasn’t expecting a female voice among the bushes because the young and old women are always keeping their distance from me since I arrived here, which wasn’t a surprise,

” you are not allowed to go through this path, there’s a path created for people like you, this is our path, the forbidden path, please turn back and pass through the right path, your sister was suppose to warn you about passing through here…is not right for you to step your feet on already defied soil…

I listened to the female voice speak from the nearby bush, I love the voice, it sounded so rich,

if it was before, oh let me say it was just yesterday i started having a different believe, a different opinion, if it was before when i was having a wrong mentality about the outcast, I would have ran back, out of ignorance to follow the right path but thanks to the gods and to Zila, I know better now, I replied the voice

“The path you are talking about.. Who created it and in who’s land is it suited, don’t be foolish, I know you meant well but you speak out of foolishness, I’m sorry I don’t mean it as an insult, the moment I step my feet into your Land I piratically become one of you, I have eaten food and drank water from this land, I was at the kakun celebration last night, I have walked were the outcast walk and set my feet where there feets has been, so tell me what exactly are you shielding me from.. I appreciate your kindness by trying to protect me from becoming an outcast but is not necessary anymore, it would have being appreciated if I breath in different air from you and I walk or live on the air not in the land.. So you see is not relevant..is not necessary at all, please come out of your hiding..I’m as harmless as you are… And looking at me without your facial veil will not defy me, if there’s anything like being defy…then I would have being long time defied or contaminated, but there’s nothing like that, is a wrong thing to think you people are less humans, thereby treating yourself worst than your enemies, any body that choose to come over to your land willingly, should also become an outcast immediately he or she step into this place, you don’t have to protect the person from becoming part of you…I don’t even understand how that works here, is a wrong beliefs to think you can defy me because I can’t be defy with a mare look or touch…

There was silent, which has become normal to me, I waited for the person to come out but nobody showed up, I had another sound then silent follows, I thought of going into the bush to search for the person but changed my mind and walked away,

After my tour at the waterfall and having a long crazy uninterrupted quiet time to my self I decided to retuned back,

I slowed my step when I got close to the hut, I was hearing a female voice and it wasn’t Zila’s voice, it was the same voice that spoke to me earlier along the bush path, as I got closer I saw Zila, she was with Ladi and the strange girl, Zila was sitting while they stood at a distance,

It quickly downed on me that it was the strange girl that spoke to me

They went quiet as I joined them, and the strange girl try to run off but i begged her to stay, she stood for sometime and took off again, she runs like a gizzard, and disappear in a twinkle of an eye,

I was so sure that it was her voice that i heard and i was glad to know that she can speak,

Zila brought food and I Sat and ate, Ladi was around, I begged him to stay when he wanted to leave, he stayed and we talked like friends, while he was still standing as he refused to sit,

I enjoyed the meal and Ladi’s presence too, I shamelessly asked of the strange girl’s name but Zila and Ladi said I should ask the girl by myself that she will tell me,

I decided not to bother them, whenever the strange girl is ready to talk to me face to face I will be waiting..

The day went by and the following morning I prepared to return back to my tribe and to give mother the leaf that Will make her whole again,

Zila and Ladi wanted to walk me down, the strange girl showed up and stood at a distance, i was very happy to see her, despite she was on her facial veil, Ladi pleaded with Zila to go with me but she ignored him, I listened to them as they began to argue,

Deep down I knew My going back is not a goodbye for me,

I Will find away to talk to Father, I will do everything I can even if it will cause me my birthright as the first son..

 

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